Did Apple provide too much of a good thing at Pride Parade?

Pride supporters of Apple yell and cheer as they make their way down Mark Street during the Pride Parade in San Francisco, California, on Sunday, June 28, 2015.

Pride supporters of Apple yell and cheer as they make their way down Mark Street during the Pride Parade in San Francisco, California, on Sunday, June 28, 2015.

Photo: Brandon Chew, The Chronicle

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Pride supporters of Apple cheer and raise their gay pride flags high as they make their way down Mark Street during the Pride Parade in San Francisco, California, on Sunday, June 28, 2015.

Pride supporters of Apple cheer and raise their gay pride flags high as they make their way down Mark Street during the Pride Parade in San Francisco, California, on Sunday, June 28, 2015.

Photo: Brandon Chew, The Chronicle

Image 3 of 3

Apple shows their support as they walk down Mark Street during the Pride Parade in San Francisco, California, on Sunday, June 28, 2015.

Apple shows their support as they walk down Mark Street during the Pride Parade in San Francisco, California, on Sunday, June 28, 2015.

Photo: Brandon Chew, The Chronicle

Did Apple provide too much of a good thing at Pride Parade?

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Anybody who watched the San Francisco Pride Parade on Sunday was treated to a dizzying array of rainbow flags, floats, giddy celebrants — and an endless stream of people in white Apple T-shirts.

Of the 30,000 parade marchers, 8,000 of them were Apple employees joining their esteemed and openly gay CEO, Tim Cook.

It was a nice show of support, to be sure, but privately we heard some grumbling from city officials and other parade participants that such a big block of people from one company slowed everything down way too much.

The parade lasted a record seven hours and 33 minutes, two hours longer than normal, according to Gary Virginia, president of San Francisco Pride’s board of directors. He was near the front of the parade and didn’t realize how many Apple employees were marching behind him.

He said that it’s great to have so many allies and that corporate participants pay more than community groups so it helps offset costs. But still, he said the staging area was packed and there’s nowhere to expand it.

“This is something we’re going to be talking about,” he said, noting that a company like Apple could limit the number of actual marchers and then rent the Asian Art Museum or another big venue for a company-wide celebration.

In the meantime, he wants to see what he missed on TV.

“I look forward to sitting down and watching the whole seven hours,” he said. “Hopefully with a cold beer.”

One beer will get you only halfway through the Apple segment. We suggest at least a six pack.